Initial news reports indicated that the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs had designated Mazlan Othman, a Malaysian astrophysicist, to make first contact with any aliens that arrive at Earth. Dr. Othman asserts that this report completely misunderstood her role at the UN:

Othman sent the paper an e-mail saying, "It sounds really cool but I have to deny it." She will be attending a conference next week, but she'll be talking about how the world deals with "near-Earth objects."

If aliens were to arrive in Earth orbit, who do you think should make first contact?